Fever pair on Games mission
West Coast Fever shooters Nat Medhurst and Caitlin Bassett are bound for Glasgow after being named in the Australian Diamonds team for the Commonwealth Games yesterday.
The pair spent the past few days at a selection camp in Canberra ahead of the announcement of the 12-woman team.
Coach Lisa Alexander admitted the goal attack positions were among the most hotly contested.
Fever captain Medhurst and Melbourne Vixen Tegan Caldwell won the race for the spots ahead of Adelaide Thunderbird Erin Bell and NSW Swifts veteran Susan Pratley.
The decision caused a storm on Twitter with Bell, in particular, considered unlucky.
Medhurst's ANZ Championship form over recent weeks has been underwhelming, but she said she had gone into the camp with a relaxed attitude.
"I went in with a really good mind frame," she said.
"I know there have been a lot of comments, a lot of people have been having their opinion about the team.
"I had in the back of my mind what I was capable of.
"I just went out there, did what I had to do and now I'm part of the team, which I'm extremely excited and honoured about."
Medhurst was part of the team which lost to New Zealand in double extra time in New Delhi in 2010 and she's desperate to be part of the first team in 12 years to win gold at the Games.
"It was absolutely heartbreaking and a feeling I don't want to have again," she said.
"To have a gold medal wrapped around my neck would be an incredible feeling and I will certainly be doing all I can, along with the other 11 girls, to make sure we get there."
Bassett said she was excited to make her Commonwealth Games debut after missing out in 2010.
The towering goal shooter, who is the highest-ranked Australian on the ANZ Championship goal tally, said she had made huge strides in the past four years.
"There were so many strong players at the camp that you can never be sure until you hear your name read out," Bassett said.
"The team that has been picked is strong. We have so many different combinations we can put out there and I definitely think we can bring home the gold."
The pair flew back to Perth yesterday and will turn their attention to the Fever in the wake of coach Norma Plummer announcing she would step down.
They denied Diamonds selection was a distraction this season and said they could still get plenty out of the remaining four games, despite being out of the running to play finals.
They face the NSW Swifts at Perth Arena on Monday night.
"It would be very easy just to give up and I think this is a big challenge for us as players to really show what we're made of," Medhurst said.
